Financial Accountant

Control Risks; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Control Risks is seeking a Financial Accountant to lead accounting activities across multiple entities and service lines, owning month-end close, journals, reconciliations and governance. The role includes mentoring junior team members, driving process improvements and supporting service line reviews.

You will collaborate with Finance Managers and senior stakeholders to deliver accurate, timely financial information while upholding robust controls and governance across the Finance Hub.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in financial accounting or finance operations.
• Strong month-end close and balance sheet reconciliation experience.
• Experience with accruals, prepayments, intercompany accounting and financial controls.
• Proficient in Excel and ERP systems (D365 preferable).

Responsibilities

• Own month-end close activities for assigned entities and service lines.
• Prepare and review complex journals including accruals and intercompany transactions.
• Ensure compliance with group accounting policies and reporting requirements.
• Perform balance sheet reconciliations and resolve reconciling items.
• Review revenue recognition, deferred income, WIP and project accounting.
• Support statutory audits and provide audit evidence.
• Investigate accounting issues and recommend treatments.
• Provide detailed financial analysis to Finance Managers.

Skills

Month-end close

Balance sheet reconciliations

Intercompany accounting

Financial controls

Excel skills

ERP systems (D365)

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Education

ACCA/ACA/CIMA in progress

Tools

D365 ERP

Job description

The Financial Accountant is responsible for leading the delivery of financial accounting activities across multiple entities, balance sheet areas and service lines. The role acts as the primary finance contact for assigned service lines, driving accounting accuracy, governance, month-end close activities, financial control and stakeholder engagement.

In addition to core accounting responsibilities, the Financial Accountant is expected to provide leadership within the Finance Hub by mentoring junior team members, driving process improvements, supporting service line reviews, and taking ownership of complex accounting matters. The role requires strong technical accounting expertise, commercial awareness and the ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders across the business.

What You'll Do:

Financial Reporting & Accounting

• Own month-end close activities for assigned legal entities and service lines, being accountable for tasks delegated to junior team members.
• Prepare and review complex journals including accruals, prepayments, intercompany transactions, reallocations and reclassifications.
• Ensure compliance with Group accounting policies and reporting requirements.
• Perform balance sheet reconciliations and proactively resolve reconciling items.
• Review revenue recognition, deferred income, WIP, accruals and project accounting transactions.
• Support statutory audits and provide accurate, timely audit evidence.
• Investigate accounting issues and recommend appropriate accounting treatments.
• Deliver high-quality financial information within agreed reporting deadlines.

Service Line Ownership & Leadership

• Provide detailed financial analysis supporting Finance Managers and wider business stakeholders.
• Develop a detailed understanding of service line operations, revenue streams, projects and cost structures.
• Lead on queries resulting from service line P&L reviews during month-end close.
• Provide commentary on financial movements, unusual transactions and key risks.
• Support monthly service line review meetings with Finance Managers and business stakeholders.
• Challenge financial performance and identify opportunities to improve reporting accuracy and controls.
• Drive accountability for financial processes impacting assigned service lines.
• Support strategic initiatives and operational changes affecting assigned service lines.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with Finance Business Partners, Commercial Finance teams, Project Operations and business leaders.
• Act as the first point of contact for accounting queries relating to assigned service lines.
• Present financial information and accounting issues in a clear and commercially focused manner.
• Support senior stakeholders with ad hoc analysis and financial insights.
• Coordinate resolution of cross-functional accounting issues.

Financial Control & Governance

• Ensure robust financial controls are maintained across assigned entities and service lines.
• Monitor compliance with internal control requirements and accounting policies.
• Identify accounting risks and elevate issues appropriately.
• Review aged balances and recommend corrective actions including write-offs, provisions or reclassifications where appropriate.
• Ensure accurate intercompany accounting and timely balance confirmations.
• Support continuous improvement of reconciliation and control processes.

Leadership & Team Development

• Provide technical guidance and support to Assistant Financial Accountants and Junior Assistant Accountants when necessary.
• Review work performed by junior team members where required.
• Support onboarding and training of new team members.
• Share best practice and promote consistency across the Finance Hub.
• Lead process improvement initiatives and automation opportunities.
• Contribute to team objectives, service level improvements and operational excellence initiatives.

Process Improvement & Change

• Drive standardisation of accounting processes across service lines.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, accuracy and control.
• Support system implementations, process redesigns and transformation initiatives.
• Assist with development of reporting tools, dashboards and accounting documentation.
• Champion continuous improvement within Finance Operations.

Audit & Controls

• Lead responses to audit and compliance queries.
• Ensure all journal postings are fully supported and evidenced.
• Identify control weaknesses and recommend process improvements.
• Support implementation of enhanced controls and monitoring activities.

Who You Are:

Essential

• Actively working towards ACCA, ACA or CIMA.
• Significant experience within financial accounting or finance operations.
• Strong month-end close and balance sheet reconciliation experience.
• Experience of accruals, prepayments, intercompany accounting and financial controls.
• Strong Excel skills.
• Experience working with ERP systems (D365 preferable).
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Proven output in existing position.

Desirable

• Shared Service Centre experience.
• Exposure to multinational or multi-entity accounting environments.
• Audit support experience.
• Experience leading process improvement initiatives or automation projects.

• Control Risks offers a competitively positioned compensation and benefits package that is transparent and summarised in the full job offer.
• We operate a discretionary global bonus scheme that incentivises, and rewards individuals based on company and individual performance.
• As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join us and are fully committed to equal treatment, free from discrimination, of all candidates throughout our recruitment process

Control Risks is committed to a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age or veteran status”

If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made in order to participate fully in the interview process, please let us know and we will be happy to accommodate your needs.